#boyinabox

An All Ages, school night crowd is an oddball one. Fun. managed to sell out the Metro theatre. It didn't seem full until the lights went down and the whole audience compacted like we were being shrink wrapped.

Boy In a Box supported Fun. But they failed to do their job. A good support act are like a runway under a plane, picking up the pace and revving the crowd. All the screamy 13 year olds seemed to enjoy them, but everyone else was bored. Their 4 chord musical torture was tolerable until about halfway through.

The best way to describe Boy In A Box, is non-aggressive Fall Out Boy/My Chemical romance, that is sometimes slightly reminiscent of 90's trash rock. That kind of music, that angry, drum-raping punk, only means something when it has some angst behind it. The lead singer would say interesting things in between songs, but there were so many awkward pauses. They were a bad match to the band they were supporting, and I'm sure there are plenty of people out there who will like that kind of stuff, but I give them a 2/10.

  Interesting fact: Fun. used to be called Fun (with no punctuation mark), but a Japanese band made claim over the name so they added a full stop.

  After a long wait for Fun. they came out and the crowd erupted. Not just the Teenyboppers, everyone. They began with One Foot, and the melodies and unique music didn't stop coming. Going to a Fun. concert is like going to an en masse karaoke session. Everyone was mesmerised. Nate Ruess is a sex god. He works the stage with an overflowing confidence and has a stagecraft which ranks among the legends, Freddie Mercury an Mick Jagger. The one thing that the Australian music scene is missing is genuinely good stage presence. Bluejuice and Art Vs Science are the only bands I've seen who are captivating even when they aren't singing. He's not just a singer, he's an actor. There were people even crying in some of the songs such as, The Gambler. Ruess is a beautiful spectacle.

Jack Antonoff made love to his guitar. Not in a crude or erotic way, but his movement and playing emanated true passion and guts. Andrew Dorst's range of instruments was so impressive. He played Flugelhorn one minute, then guitar and the keyboard and so many other instruments that I wish I could've seen, but I'm 5 foot 2.

Their catchy pop is revolutionary. It offers a well-written alternative to all the crap that dominates the commercial pop world. Their lyrics, instruments and Nate Ruess' unique vocals will help take pop from the mechanical, computer-generated crap it has become, back to the exciting days of Queen and Electric Light Orchestra.

I predict that one day I will be lucky to say that I saw the first Fun. concert in Australia before they were playing stadiums. I'm sure Nate Ruess' stunning talent could carry to thousands. It already is. Fun. are a potential voice for our generation.

I give Fun. 10/10.